Los Angeles voters to weigh fee increase for streetlight repairs amid copper theft concerns

LA voters weigh fee increase for streetlight repairs

Los Angeles city leaders are asking property owners to approve a Proposition 218 measure that would significantly increase fees to fund a $125 million plan to replace more than 200,000 streetlights.

LOS ANGELES - A citywide plan to replace thousands of broken streetlights across Los Angeles could come with a cost increase for property owners under a proposed Proposition 218 assessment.

Mayor Karen Bass is urging voters to approve the measure, which would raise property-owner fees by an estimated 120% to help fund a $125 million program aimed at replacing more than 200,000 streetlights citywide. City officials say the current system generates roughly $45 million and has not been significantly updated since the 1990s, when Proposition 218 was adopted by California voters to require property-owner approval for new or increased local assessments.

Under the law, the city cannot raise streetlighting fees without a majority vote from affected property owners, a process that has kept much of the funding system largely unchanged for decades.

Ballots are expected to be mailed this week.

Across Los Angeles, officials say copper theft continues to worsen infrastructure problems, with thieves stripping wire from underground fiber lines and disabling streetlights in neighborhoods across the city. More than 32,000 streetlight repair requests remain pending.

The mayor says she plans to install 60,000 new solar-powered streetlights that do not rely on copper wiring, as part of an effort to reduce theft-related outages.

"As long as voters support the street lighting assessment, we’ll be able to replace all 200,000 lights across the city," Bass said. "Something long overdue."

In Cheviot Hills, newly installed solar lights are already illuminating streets that were recently left in darkness.

"It’s definitely a plus to have lights," one resident said.

Earlier this year, FOX 11 rode along with LAPD during operations targeting copper wire theft. The specialized task force focused on the issue has since been disbanded.

"About two years ago, the last person from that unit retired. We had to shutter that unit because of a lack of resources," an assistant chief with LAPD said.

Nearly 600,000 property owners are expected to receive ballots in the coming week.

PROPOSITION 218: Street Lighting Assessment

• Requires approval from affected property owners under California law
• Would fund replacement of more than 200,000 streetlights
• Property-owner fees could increase by about 120%
• Program requires approximately $125 million; currently generates about $45 million